Cable operated bottom gate for a hopper



Jan. 25, 1955 R. G. LE TOURNEAU 2,700,574

CABLE OPERATED BOTTOM GATE FOR A HOPPER Filed Feb. 27, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 1 1805597 6'. 6 TOUQA/EHU,

I N V EN TOR.

Jan. 25, 1955 R. G. LE TOURNEAU CABLE OPERATED BOTTOM GATE FOR A HOPPER2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1952 205587 6'. Lam/ens IN V EN TOR. 6;

AVTUIQA/EVS United States Patent CABLE OPERATED BOTTOM GATE FOR A HOPPERRobert G. Le Tourneau, Longview, Tex.

Application February. 27, 1952, Serial No. 273,575

3' Claims. (Cl; 298 -35) This invention relates. to hopper typetrailers, semitrailers, wagons and similar material handling apparatusof that type adapted for transporting bulkymaterials such as earth,coal, gravel, etc), and havinga hopper bottom through which the. entireloadmaybe discharged.

Heretofore it has been the practice to relayon gravity for eitheropening orclosing the bottom gates. Various types of hydraulic systemshave also been used for controlling the opening or closing of the bottomgates. In those systems which relyon gravity to close the gates, oneofthe difficulties encountered is that gravel, ,stones and otherheavyobjects become lodged between the "gates and keep; them 'from'closingsecurely. Another-problem is that some type oflatch or closuredeviceis required to keep the gates closed'during the loading operation.

In those systems whichrely, on hydraulic means for opening or closingthe gates,.one of the problems has been the impracticabilityof designingan. economical system capable-of delivering to the gates the high powerdesired for operating them at a'fast rate of speed. Another problemfound .in hydraulic systems is the high cost of maintenance of hose and"pumping mechanisms.

One of the objects of my invention is,'therefore, to provide a cable.operated system for supplying a power open and power close "to thebottom gates of a hopper.

Another objectof myinvention is .to provide power closed gates whichwill overcome resistance ofiered to their closing'by stones, gravel orother heavy objects;

Another object of my' invention isto. provide :anieconomical yet fastacting cable powersystem for opening and closing 'bottom' gates:

Another-object-of -my-invention istoprovide such a system in which themaintenance of the components is simple and economical.

Another object of my invention is to provide a dump gate opening andclosing system which does not require latches or closure devices to keepthe gates in a closed position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent uponperusal of the following detailed description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings. While I have shown and described herein apreferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the same issusceptible of modification and change without departing from the scopeand spirit of my invention.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tractor and hopper type semi-trailerembodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the rear end of the hopper body with thebottom gates closed. For purposes of clarity Figs. 2 and 3 are shownwithout the wheels and frame support members.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the front end of the hopper body with thebottom gates closed.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a double s sheave housing.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the same double sheave housmg.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the double drum showing cables woundthereon.

Fig. 7 is an end view of the same drum.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view on a reduced scale of the rear end of thehopper body, illustrating the bottom gates in the open position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the letter A designates a hoppertype semi-trailer constructed in accordance "ice with this invention,and B is a two-wheel tractor to which it is coupled.

While my invention has been shown by way of example, embodied in asemi-trailer, it is to be understood that the invention may be equallywell embodied in various other vehicle constructions, such for instanceas full or four wheel trailers, railway cars, etc.

In the example shown, the trailer'A comprises a hopper 1 welded at its-rear to frame members 2, 3, 4 and-5 which. are in turn supported by apair of rear wheels 6 (only one appears in the drawings), the hopperbeing welded at its front to'yoke 7 and struts 8' and-8b which are inturn pivotally connected'by. steering assembly 9 to tractor B.

Hopper 1, which isopen at the top, and bottom, is provided with verticalend walls 10 and'll, and downwardly converging side walls 12 and 13which haveverti'cal' portions 14 and 15. Weldedalong sidewalls 12 and.13 are longitudinal channels 16 and '17. Channel 16 has mounted at itsrear sheave housings and sheaves 18 and 19, and atits forward end sheavehousings and sheaves 20' and 21; In like manner channel 17 has sheavehousings andsheaves 22 and 23 mounted at its rear and sheave housingsand sheaves 24 and 25 mounted at its forward end. 7

Reanwall 10 has welded thereto brackets 26, 27 and 28 and gate hinge ear293 Reversible motor 30 (capable of delivering "horsepower) and gearbox31 are se cured between brackets 27 and 28 and over hinge ear 29 bywelding. Rotatably attached to gear box 31 is a double Winding drum'32(shown enlarged in Fig; 6) having smooth' winding surfaces" 33'and 34separated by flange 35. Also welded to rear wall 10 is a group of sheavehousings designated by reference numerals 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, Hand 42,each housing having rotatably mounted therein one or more sheaves, partof which are referred to in detail hereinafter. Pivotally-supported bypins '43 and 44 arepivot arms 45 and 46 to which are welded oppositelyswinging bottom gates 47 and 481 Welded to arms 45"and 46 are channels49 and 50, on each of which is secured a double sheave-housing. Anenlarged view-of one such double housing 51 is 'shown in Figs. 4 and 5wherein numerals 52 represent bolts securingthe housing to channel 65."

Front wall'11 has welded thereto-yoke'7 and-gate hinge ear'53. Cabletightening mechanisms "54 and 55 and cable deadend pipes 56 and 57 arealso secured to wall 11 by Welding. Sheave housings 58 and 59 are weldedto wall 11 below hinge ear 53. Front pivot arms 60 and 61 are pivotallymounted by pins 62 and 63 in the hinge ear and have welded thereto gates48 and 47 respectively. Welded to front arms 60 and 61 are channels 64and 65, each of which serves as a mounting for a double sheave housingidentical with that shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Cable reeving Wound on double drum 32 are four cables 66, 67, 68 and 69.Cable 66 is dead-ended near one end of the drum by set screw 70 bearingagainst bracket 71, and thence extends in a clockwise direction (lookingat Fig. 7) around the drum for a plurality of turns, thence off thedrum. Cable 67 is dead-ended on the drum near flange 35 by set screw 72bearing against bracket 73 and thence extends around the drum in acounterclockwise direction for a plurality of turns until drum surface33 is substantially full of one layer of cable (consisting of cables 66and 67), thence off the drum. After leaving the drum surface, cable 67extends to and around sheaves 74, the inner sheave of channel 49, andsheave 76, thence to and around sheaves 18 and 20 along side wall 12,thence to the first wall 11 to and around sheave 77, to and around innersheave 78 of channel 65, thence to dead-end on pipe 57.

Cable 66, after leaving drum surface 33, extends to and around sheaves79, 80 and 81, thence to and around sheaves 19 and 21 along side wall12, thence around outer sheave 82 of channel 65 to dead-end on rod 83 ofcable tightening mechanism 55. Cable tightening mechanism 55 compriseshandle 84, worm 85 and ratchet 86 which engages rod 83. Upon rotation ofhandle 84, cable 66 may be tightened.

Cables 68 and 69 are dead-ended on drum 32, wound in opposite directionson drum surface 34 until the surface is substantially full of a singlelayer of cable, and are thence reeved through a system of sheaves anddead ends in a manned identical with that described for cables 66 and 67but on the opposite side of the longitudinal center line of the hopper.Just as 66 and 67 cooperate with channels 49 and 65 to control gate 47,so cables 68 and 69 cooperate with channels 50 and 64 to control gate48.

Operation Upon rotation of drum 32 in a counterclockwise direction(looking at Fig. l or Fig. 7), cable 67 will wind off of drum surface 33and cable 66 will wind onto the drum surface occupying the same spacevacated by the unwinding cable. As cable 66 reels in and cable 67 paysout, channels 49 and 65 and pivot arms 46 and 61 will be moved outwardlyfrom the longitudinal center line of the hopper and will open bottomgate 47. The open position of gate 47 is shown in Fig. 8.

Rotation of drum 32 in the direction indicated above will at the sametime cause cable 69 to wind off of drum surface 34 and cable 68 to windon in the same space vacated by the unwinding cable. As cable 68 reelsin and cable 69 pays out, channels 50 and 64 and pivot arms 45 and 60will move outwardly from the longitudinal center line of the hopper andwill open bottom gate 48. The open position of gate 48 is shown in Fig.8. Thus, it may be readily observed that gates 47 and 48 are poweropened by cable means.

Upon rotation of drum 32 in the opposite direction (clockwise looking atFig. 7) each cable winds on the drum in a direction opposite to thatdescribe above, and gates 47 and 48 will be positively moved to a closedposition. Thus, it may readily be observed that gates 47 and 48 arepower closed by cable means.

From the description of my invention it may readily be seen that theobjects set forth have been fulfilled.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a bottom opening hopper having side walls, a front wall and a rearwall, a pair of oppositely swinging gates comprising the bottom of saidhopper, said gates being attached to a pair of arms pivotally mounted onsaid front wall and a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said rear wall,a double sheave housing having a pair of sheaves mounted therein andfixed on each of said arms, a plurality of fixed sheaves mounted inspaced relation on the walls of said hopper, reversible power meanshaving a double surface winding drum attached thereto mounted on saidrear wall, a first pair of cables each dead-ended on one of saidsurfaces and oppositely wound thereon and thence reeved through certainof said fixed sheaves and certain of said arm sheaves to dead-end onsaid front wall, and a second pair of cables each deadended on the otherof said surfaces and oppositely wound thereon and thence reeved throughcertain other fixed sheaves and certain other of said arm sheaves todeadend in a cable tightening mechanism mounted on said front wall,thereby upon rotation of said power means in one direction said gateswill open and upon rotation of said power means in the oppositedirection said gates will close.

2. In a wheeled vehicle, a main frame having a hopper mounted thereon,oppositely swinging bottom opening gates pivotally connected to saidhopper, and a constant tension cable winding system for power openingand power closing said gates, said system comprising a double surfacedrum adapted for reversible rotation, a first pair of cables eachdead-ended on one of said surfaces and oppositely wound thereon andthence associated with one of said gates, a second pair of cables eachdead-ended on the other of said surfaces and oppositely wound thereonand thence associated with the other of said gates, and cable tighteningmeans for maintaining said cables substantially taut at all times.

3. In a wheeled vehicle, a main frame having a hopper mounted thereon,oppositely swinging bottom opening gates pivotally connected to saidhopper, and a constant tension cable winding system for power openingand power closing said gates, said cable winding system comprisingreversible power means mounted on said hopper, a double winding drumdriven by said power means and having two pairs of cables wound thereon,pivot arms secured to said gates and pivotally mounted on said hopper,sheave housings having sheaves mounted therein fixed on said hopper, andsheave housings having sheaves mounted therein fixed on said pivot arms,said cables being reeved between said drum and said sheaves so that uponrotation of said drum in one direction, said gates are opened and uponrotation of said drum in the opposite direction, said gates are closed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS118,557 Rousculp et a1. Aug. 29, 1871 865,708 Johnson Sept. 10, 1907971,603 Goodwin Oct. 4, 1910 2,335,851 Fox et a1. Dec. 7, 1943 2,401,407Benbow et a1. June 4, 1946

